Structural member and wall assembly including same



Aug 25, 1970 N. NELssoN 3,525,189

STRUCTURAL MEMBER AND WALL ASSEMBLY INCLUDING SAME Filed oct. 11, 196e D la o a o o o V O o u A H o Q O 0 n o @o Qq@ 0d .MHH

'ig'f/. E

@LM @$5 by www fw United States Patent O 3,525,189 STRUCTURAL MEMBER AND WALL ASSEMBLY INCLUDING SAME Nels Nelsson, Des Plaines, Ill., assignor to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 766,704 Int. Cl. E04b 2/30, 2/40 U.S. Cl. 52--378 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elongated unitary Z-shaped furring member has a web formed with two columns of closely spaced elongated openings to reduce heat transmission across the member. The openings of the two columns are arranged in a staggered overlapping pattern, with each opening centered on the space between a pair of adjacent openings in the opposite column. One flange of the furring member is secured to a masonary wall and the other fiange overlies and retains insulating panels, with wallboard finishing panels being secured to the retainer fiange.

This invention pertains to metal furring members for use in building construction and more particularly pertains to metal furring members for retaining insulating panels and supporting interior wall components on a wall such as a masonry exterior wall.

Previously proposed means of securing panels of insulation and a covering surface to a wall, such as a masonry exterior wall, have included the use of clips and beads of adhesive and various combinations of these fastening means. Such prior constructions using anchoring clips have included Z-shaped clips having a pair of flanges connected by a web, wherein one flange was secured to the wall and the other flange overlaid a room-side portion of a panel of insulation and supported screw-attached covering wall panels. One problem arising from this type of construction was the difficulty of locating the near flange of the clip when the wall panel was placed over the insulation. Another problem arising from such construction was the subsequent appearance of shadows or discoloration on the room side of the covering wall surface overlying each clip, as a result of heat transfer from the room-side surface to the exterior wall. In short, the clips provided local areas of greater heat transfer through the wall assembly than did the areas between the clips. In some cases the use of clips and/or beads of adhesive did not provide an adequate amount of securement.

It is an object of this invention to provide a solution to the aforenoted problems.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for convenient and economical securement of finishing wall components to a wall, with a low coefficient of heat-transfer between the finishing components and the wall in the area of securement.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for convenient and economical assembly of insulating panels and overlying finishing wall panels on a masonry wall, while providing adequate securement for the insulation and the finishing panels and eliminating problems of discoloration or shadowing due to differentials in heat transfer rates in various areas of the finished wall.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved furring member.

Further and additional objects and advantages will appear from the description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

In one embodiment of this invention a Z-shaped furring member has one flange secured to a masonry wall with 3,525,189 Patented Aug. 25, 1970 ICS its web extending generally normal to the wall, between adjacent panels of insulating material, and its other flange overlying the adjacent edge portion of one of the insulating panels. The web of the furring member is formed with a plurality of elongated openings therethrough oriented with their major dimension parallel to the longitudinal dimension of said web and disposed in staggered overlapping relation to one another throughout the length of said web to preclude conduction of heat directly across said web. Interior wall components are secured to the inner overlying flange.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should now be had to the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing and described below, byway of example of the invention.

FIG. l is a perspective view of a portion of a wall assembly embodying teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side View of the furring member of the assembly of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end View of the member of FIG. 2, and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross sectional views in a horizontal plane of interior and exterior corners, respectively, of a wall assembly as in FIG. 1.

The wall assembly 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, includes an outer Wall 12, a metal furring member 14 secured to the wall, insulating panels 16, and interior finishing panels 18 secured to the furring member. The wall 12 is of masonry construction such as concrete, stone, brick, masonry blocks or the like. Panels 16 are panels, boards or blocks of insulating material such as an expanded polystyrene or urethane resin possessing sufficient integrity to maintain their form during handling and subsequent to installation. The illustrated finishing panels are gypsum wallboard, i.e. a cast gypsum core within a paper sheath.

Referring also to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, furring member 14 is a unitary element of a Z configuration in cross section and comprises a planar web 22 and planar lateral flanges 24 and 26 extending in opposite directions from the respective edges of the web. Flange 24 extends substantially at right angles to web 22 and is formed with openings 28 to receive suitable driven fasteners 30 (FIG. 1). The fasteners 30 penetrate the masonry and secure the member 14 to wall 12. Flange 26 also extends substantially at right angles to web 22, though it may define an included angle therewith of slightlyless than as seen in FIG. 4, whereby it is inclined slightly toward the wall when the member 14 is installed, see FIG. 1.

Referring particularly to FIG. 2, the web 22 is formed with two rows 32 and 34 of oblong openings 36 oriented so that their major dimensions are aligned longitudinally of the web. Opening 36a represents a fractional opening, e.g. one-half of an opening 36, as may occur at an end of an element 14. The openings in each column are closely spaced, and define narrow web connecting segments 38 and 40 therebetween. As illustrated, the openings of the two columns yare staggered so that the midpoint of an opening is transversely opposite each of the segments 38 and 40. Thus there are no heat conduction paths extending directly across the web 22. Rather, the heat conduction paths are extended to have a minimum length approximately equal to half the length of:` an opening 36 plus the width of the web. Further, the relatively close spacing of the columns 32 and 34, as indicated by the narrow width of the intervening strip 42, and the narrow width of segments 38 and 40 provides a conduction path of minimum cross sectional area. Thus, heat transmission across web 22 is greatly reduced. However, the strips 44 and 46 at each outer edge of the openings, together with the flanges, the center strip 42 and the connecting segments 38 and 40, provide sufficient structural integrity of the member 14 to maintain the flanges in spaced relation to one another and to support the interior wall.

FIGS. and 6 illustrate wall assemblies of this invention traversing an interior corner and an exterior corner, respectively. Components are numbered as in the embodiment described above. In each instance, the joints between adjacent panels 18 may be suitably treated or covered as desired. For instance, with gypsum wallboard panels 18, the Various joints may be covered with joint compound and tape, or corner beading, as appropriate, in a known manner.

As illustrated in FIGS. l, 4 and 5, the web 22 of each member 14 extends between the edges of adjacent panels 16. Flange 26 overlies the edge portion of the panel at one side of the respective joint and may serve to retain that panel during installation, prior to application of thc interior panels 18. Generally, a furring member 14 is installed with each course of insulation panels or blocks. Accordingly, the panel having a free edge at each joint, i.e., overlying flange 24, normally is retained by a furring member 14 along its opposite edge. In any event, the panels 16 ultimately are covered and held in place by the interior panels 18.

During assembly, an insulation panel 16 may be positioned on the Wall 12, a member 14 then placed with its ange 26 over-lying an edge portion of this panel, and the fasteners 30 subsequently driven through the fiange 24 and into the `wall 12 to mount the member 14 and t0 retain the insulation panel underlying ange 26. In any event, the fasteners 30 are driven to secure each member 14 in place prior to the placement of the panel 16 which overlies the respective flange 24. The inclination of fiange 26 provides slight resilience for gripping the panel or panels thereunder as an aid in temporarily supporting the panels during installation.

After the members 14 and panels 16 are in place, the covering panels 18 are positioned and are secured to the fianges 26 by driving fasteners 48 through these panels and through the underlying anges 26. The panels 18 may be positioned with their longitudinal side edges extending either horizontally, transverse to the members 14, or vertically, parallel to members 14, as desired. The fasteners 48 may extend into the panels 16, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, and may, for instance, be self-tapping rotary screw fasteners as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,234.

The insulation panels 16 normally will be of an appropriate size so that an attachment flange 26 of a member 14 is disposed beneath each vertical joint between the overlying interior panels 18. Further, depending upon the size of the insulation panels and of the interior panels, a member or members 14 may lie between such joints, with the overlying interior panels 18 being secured to the flanges 26 thereof for additional support of the interior panels 18.

The described furring member has proven beneficial in providing resistance to heat transfer across a wall and in avoiding the development of noticeable shadow spots, while providing effective means for securing the covering wall components to the supporting structural wall.

By way of one specific example, a furring element as illustrated and described herein was fabricated of 24 gauge (about 0028") hot-dipped galvanized sheet steel, the web 22 being 1" Wide and formed with two columns of openings 36 spaced 1A transveresly of the web. Each opening 36 was 1A wide and 4% long, and the openings in each column were spaced 1A. Thus the strip 42 and the segments 38 and 40 each were 1A wide, and the strips 44 and 46 were 1A" wide. A test was conducted on 70 this panel with one flange submerged in an ice bath at 32 F., and the web and the other ange exposed to an ambient air temperature of 77 F. At an equilibrium state, the submerged flange was at a temperature of 36 F., and the flange exposed to ambient air was at a temperature of 64 F., representing a 28 F. differential between the anges. Under the same test conditions, a similar member having a continuous web provided a temperature differential of only 14.5 F., between the flanges.

Other embodiments will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure. For example, Where the interior covering is plaster, the lath component may be secured to the attachment flange.

It will be appreciated that a very unique and economical structure has been provided 'which meets the aforestated objects.

While particular embodiments of this invention are shown and described above, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing disclosure. Accordingly it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A wall assembly comprising a masonry wall; selfsupporting panels of insulating material overlying one surface of said masonry wall; a plurality of elongated rnetal furring members of generally Z configuration in cross section; each of said members including a web extending generally normal to said masonry wall between adjacent insulating panels, a first flange beneath the adjacent edge portion of one of said adjacent panels, and a second flange overlying the adjacent edge portion of the other of said adjacent panels, said web being formed with a plurality of elongated openings therethrough oriented with their major dimension parallel to the longitudinal dimension of said web and arranged in parallel columns extending the length of said web, adjacent openings in each of said columns being close to one another to define narrow web connecting elements therebetween, and said openings of adjacent columns being disposed in staggered overlapping relation to one another throughout the length of said web to preclude conduction of heat directly across said web; fasteners extending through said first flange of each of said furring members and penetrating said mansonry wall for securing said members to said wall; surface wall components overlying and covering said insulating panels and said second fianges; and further fasteners extending through said surface Wall components and said second anges for securing said components to said second flanges.

2. A Wall assembly as in claim 1 wherein said surface wall components comprise gypsum wallboard panels.

3. A wall assembly as in claim 1 wherein said openings in said web of each of said furring members are arranged in two parallel columns, and each of said openings is longitudinally centered on a connecting element in the other of such columns. l

4. A wall assembly as in claim 1 wherein each of said openings is of a length `greater than four times the width of said web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,662,177 3/1928 Williams 52--512 1,843,430 2/1932 Mayer 52--404 2,582,144 1/1952 Miles 52-404 2,590,687 3/ 1952 Crafton 52-404 2,744,589 5/ 1956 Jenkins et al. 52-404 2,836,266 5/ 1958 Leeser 52-404 3,122,073 2/ 1964 Masse 52--408 3,401,494 9/ 1968 Anderson 52-351 HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 52-410, 508, 732 

